Attaching machine

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for securing a pronged member to an article such as a garment or the like having a punch member for receiving and carrying the pronged member from the supply to an anvil where the pronged member is attached to the article. The punch member includes a tongue having a tip portion thereof displaceable from a surface of the punch member for the purpose of accepting a pronged member at the exit of the supply, with the tongue adapted to grasp the pronged member and carry the same to an anvil where it is to be attached to the article.

United States Patent inventor Erich A. Schmidt Lexington, Ky. Appl. No. 742,098 Filed July 2, 1968 Patented Jan. 12, 1971 Assignee Text-0n, Inc.

a corpox ation of Delaware. a part interest by mesne assignments ATTACHING MACHINE l 1 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 227/18 Int. Cl A4lh 37/02 Field ofSearch 227/15, l8, 119

Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, J r. At!0rne vMeeCh & Field ABSTRACT: Apparatus for securing a pronged member to an article such as a garment or the like having a punch member for receiving and carrying the pronged member from the supply to an anvil where the pronged member is attached to the article. The punch member includes a tongue having a tip portion thereof displaceable from a surface of the punch member for the purpose of accepting a pronged member at the exit of the supply, with the tongue adapted to grasp the pronged member and carry the same to an anvil where it is to be attached to the article.

PATENTEDJANI 219m 7 3.554.426

' suml ur 2 INVENTOR. ER/Cfi A. SCf/M/DT A TTORNEYS.

ATTACI-IING MACHINE from a supply to the base'of a reciprocally movable plunger.

Complex mechanical mechanisms are used to actuate the carrier mechanism, whose sole purpose is to remove the foremost pronged member from a rigidly mounted supply, and transport the same to the base of a reciprocally movable punch member.

Another mechanism for transporting pronged members to an anvil is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,663,018, wherein a swinging sector head type of punch member first removes a single pronged member from a rigidly mounted supply and then carries the same to an anvil where it is clinched to an article. Initially, the punch member moves to pick up a pronged member from a rigidly mounted supply raceway while simultaneously engaging and moving away from its path a pivotally mounted retainer member. The curved surface of the sector head retains the plurality of pronged members in the raceway throughout its operative cycle with the retainer member returning to its original position for retaining the pronged members in the raceway after the sector head returns to its rest position.

This type of punch member has proven to be difficult to control as well as inefficient, as many of the pronged members were incorrectly removed from the supply or picked up by the punch member and carried to the anvil where the pronged members were improperly clinched to an article. It is to an apparatus having an improved raceway and punch member for transporting a pronged member from the exit of the raceway to the anvil, where it is attached to an article, that the present invention is directed.

It is the general object of this invention to provide apparatus for transporting a pronged member from one station to another. I

Still another object of this invention is to provide apparatus which both carries the foremost pronged member from a raceway and clinches the pronged memberto an article.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for removing the foremost pronged member from a guideway and transporting the same to an anvil while simultaneously retaining the remaining pronged members in the guideway.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention can be had by referring to the following description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the attaching machine, showing the improved mechanism in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 2 through 5 are enlarged partial views of the attaching machine shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating the mode of operation thereof; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged partial views of a modified attaching machine shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating the mode of operation thereof.

The attaching machine shown in FIG. 1 includes a horizontal base 10 and an upright support plate 12 for supporting the operating mechanisms of the machine. A sector head type of punch member 14, including arm 16, is pivotally mounted by bearing 18 to support plate 12. By appropriate mechanical linkage 20, a solenoid 22 actuated by a microswitch (not shown) will move punch member 14 about bearing 18 so that head 24 of punch member 14 will move to strike or engage anvil 26, located on base 10. An upright base plate carrier 28 supplies single backup plates to anvil 26 in a manner illustrated and described in US. Pat. No. 3,065,470.

A hopper 30, secured to plate 12, stores a plurality of pronged eye members 32, which are singly fed onto a guideway or raceway 34 in a manner such that the prongs 36 of each member 32 straddles raceway 34. Each pronged member 32 is oriented in the same manner upon raceway 34 and carried to the exit end 38 thereof. 'An elongated arm member 40 supports raceway 34 at exit end 38, with arm member 4% pivotally mounted as at 42 and urged by tension spring 44 to rotate thereabout in a clockwise direction and to remain in contact with the curved surface 45 of punch member 14 at all times. Thus, exit end 38 of raceway 3-3 will be uniformly positioned relative to punch member 14, such that the foremost pronged member 32 on raceway 34 can readily be picked up by member 14 when in the rest position. Upon energization of solenoid 22, punch member 14 is moved in a clockwise direction about bearing 18 and a pronged member 32 is carried to anvil 26 where it is attached to an article, after which tension spring 46 urges punch member 14in a counterclockwise direction about bearing 18 to return the same to its rest position. An air cylinder or air shock absorber 48 is mounted on plate 12 and mechanically connected to arm 16 of punch member 14. The purpose of shock absorber 48 is to slow the speed of punch member 14 at the end of its travel in returning to the rest position, once eye member 32 has been attached to an article (not shown) placed upon anvil 26.

As best shown in FIGS. 2-5, the head 24 of punch member 14 includes a tongue 50 which is of a width such that it can be inserted between the pair of prongs 36, only one of which is shown, of the foremost pronged member 32. Tongue 50 is of spring steel and is secured in cantilever fashion by rivets 52 to punch member 14 with the remote tip 54 of tongue 50 projecting beyond the curved surface 45 of punch member 14. Further, tongue 50 can be displaced from the flat biased surface 56 of member 14 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of pronged member 32.

The lower surface 60 of arm member 40 provides a cam surface which engages tip 54 of tongue 50 and displaces the same in a clockwise direction about rivets 52, so that tongue 50 is displaced from surface 56. As previously described, arm member 40 is resiliently mounted and urged into engagement with punch member 14. The biasing force of spring 44 is greater than the biasing force of tongue 50. Thus, when tip 54 of tongue 50 engages surface 60, tongue 50 tends to be displaced in a clockwise direction and away from surface 56, whereas arm 40 remains in a substantially stationary position.

Briefly, the operation of the apparatus is as follows: the operator of the attaching machine places an article on anvil 26 and, by suitable mechanism, actuates solenoid 22 such that punch member 14 carries a pronged member 32 toward anvil 26 to clinch pronged member 32 to a base plate (not shown) when an article such as a garment is placed thereon and interposed therebetween.

The mode of operation of the apparatus can best be described with reference to FIGS. 15 wherein a plurality of pronged members 32 of the eye type are positioned in alignment with each other upon raceway 34 as they are fed from hopper 30. A first pronged member 32 is located in position on punch member 14, with prongs 36 thereof straddling tip 5 of the tongue 50. The bridging portion which interconnects prongs 36 of pronged member 32 is grasped between surface 56 of punch member 14 and remote tip 54 of tongue 50 carried by punch member 14 in a manner such that pronged member 32 will move therewith. Punch member 14 moves in a clockwise direction about bearing 18 in response to the energization of solenoid 22 actuating mechanical linkage 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the remaining pronged members located on raceway 34 are retained thereon because the lowermost pronged member 32 is prevented from moving off of raceway 34 by its slidable engagement with curved surface 45 of punch member 14 as it moves from its rest position to its'fully operative position. Prong member 32 carried by moving punch member 14 is attached to the garment lying across anvil 26, after which solenoid 22 is deenergized and spring 46 acts on arm 16 to return punch member 14 to its rest position.

In FIG. 4, spring 46 is exerting a force tending to move arm 16 of punch member 14 in a counterclockwise direction F about bearing 18 to return member M to its rest position.

vmember 74 will be Near the end of the return travel of punch member '14, air shock absorber 48 slows its rate of return topermit tongue 50 to properly cooperate with lower surface 60 of arm member 40. As punch member 14 continues to move in a counter clockwise direction, tip 54 of tongue 50 slideably engages surface 60 of arm member 40 with the result that tongue 50 is moved in a clockwise direction about its mounting rivets 52 which connect it to arm member 14.'Tip S4 is thus gradually spaced from the biased surface 56 on punch member 14,

which spacing is substantially equal to' the thickness of the V One feature of the attaching apparatus disclosed in this in vention is the resilient motion of arm member 40 which sup:-

osition; i

a punch member for'trari'sporting the foremost pronged element in a given path from said exit position of said first means to said article for attachment; and means resiliently mounted and carried by said punch member having "a displaced condition when said punch memberis in its rest position at said exit position of said first means for accepting the intermediate portion between said pron s of said foremost pronged element, and a closed condition when said punch member moves to it operative position, i said means moved "from said closed condition to said displaced condition by cooperation with said first means as said punch member returns from its operative position to said exit position. it The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means includes a cam surface located thereon adjacent to said exit position and adapted for cooperation with said means carried by said punch member as said punch member moves from its operativeposition to, said exit position for moving said means carried by said punch member from a closed condition to a ports the exit end of raceway 34%;, forsome reason, the

' lowermost pronged member 32 is not properly positioned relative to tip 54 of tongue 50, the lowermost pronged] member 32 is not then properly seated thereon. As showrrin FIG. 5, clockwise movement of punch member 14 in the direction X will exert a force on arm 40 andrail 34 such that they will move in a counterclockwise direction about. a pivot mounting 42 and pronged member 32 will not be moved- 3 filfilbf; i

to anvil 26. If arm member 40 was not resilientlymounte'd;

punch member 14 would move members 32 against arm 40st) that arm 40 would be shattered when a pronged'element is intproperly picked up.

FIGS. 6 and 7- illustratexanother embodiment of the inverk tion which embodiment is substantiallysimilar to that previ ously disclosed, but is for the purpose of feeding pronged members 79. Pronged hood members 70 move down a raceway 72 to the exit and thereofwhere' a laterally movable" tongue member 74 will receive the same. Tongue m'er'nb'er' 74: is connected to a rod 76 passing through the central portion of punch member 14 with rod 76 being biased by 'aspririg member, not shown, for maintaining tongue member '7'4fir'ija closed position. The end 78 of rod 76 will strike stud 80'Whenpunch member 14 is in the rest position. Tip" 82 of tongue punch member 14 so that the lowermost hookmemberTOLean displaced from the biased surface 8 4: of

dis laced condition,

3, The appa 'atus of claim 2 wherein said punch member includes a surface on said punch member movable along a given axis relative to said earn surface located on said first means for preventing said plurality of pronged elements located on said first'meansfromjnoving freely out of the exit position 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first means ineludes resilientrneahs for urging said cam surface of said first means into'slidable engagement witha surface of said punch 5 The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first means ineludes' a raceway for supporting said pronged members intermediate their prongs'as said pronged members move from said suppiyrqtheexit position.

r 6. The apparatus of. claim l where'in said means carried by said punch member includes a resiliently mounted projection adapted to dper'atively engage said cam surface upon the return cycle of said punch member to a position adjacent said 40.

exit position of said first means.

7. The apparatus ofclaim 6 wherein said punch member ineludes asurface thereon which is adapted to pass close to said cam surface on said first means and which effectively prevents moved in a clockwise direction preparatory to moving heol v member 70 into operativeengagementwith' anvil It should be noted that punch member 14'has been described hereinabove with reference to its" having] a sector type head which calls for a curved upper surface-It is not; specifically necessary in either of the embodiments of'thisim I vention that a sector type head be used, but the inventionhas been described as incorporating a sector type head for con-- venience.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to embodiments of the invention, but" itwillbe un derstood that other variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined'in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a pronged element to an article,v

comprising:

pronged elements in sequence froma supply toanexi't the movement ofpro'rig'ed members from said exit position of said firstmeans. I

8.- The apparatus of c'laim 7 wherein said surface on said punch member'iseurvedahour a given axis to describe an arc havinga constant radius, said surface of a length to block said ex'if position df sai'dfirst means when said punch member is in the rest'p'osition and when it moves to its fully operative posi- 9". The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means carried by said punch membe'r'iticludes a tongue member normally urged into engagernent with a surface on said punch member, said t'ifirigt'te member positively displaced for accepting a pronged elemenrwhensaid punch member is in its rest position fol-The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tongue member operativelyeh'gagesorie end of a rod member the other end of which engages a stationary member when said punch member is in the rest position to bias said tongue member away from lli'Th'e' apparatusofclaim' 10 wherein said first means include's'a raceway for supporting said pronged members intermediateth'eir pron s-as said pronged members move from said suppiy-tdth'e exit position. 

1. Apparatus for applying a pronged element to an article, comprising: first means for guiding in a uniform manner a plurality of pronged elements in sequence from a supply to an exit position; a punch member for transporting the foremost pronged element in a given path from said exit position of said first means to said article for attachment; and means resiliently mounted and carried by said punch member having a displaced condition when said punch member is in its rest position at said exit position of said first means for accepting the intermediate portion between said prongs of said foremost pronged element, and a closed condition when said punch member moves to its operative position, said means moved from said closed condition to said displaced condition by cooperation with said first means as said punch member returns from its operative position to said exit position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means includes a cam surface located thereon adjacent to said exit position and adapted for cooperation with said means carried by said punch member as said punch member moves from its operative position to said exit position for moving said means carried by said punch member from a closed condition to a displaced condition.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said punch member includes a surface on said punch member movable along a given axis relative to said cam surface located on said first means for preventing said plurality of pronged elements located on said first means from moving freely out of the exit position.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first means includes resilient means for urging said cam surface of said first means into slidable engagement with a surface of said punch member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first means includes a raceway for supporting said pronged members intermediate their prongs as said pronged members move from said supply to the exit position.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means carried by said punch member includes a resiliently mounted projection adapted to operatively engage said cam surface upon the return cycle of said punch member to a position adjacent said exit position of said first means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said punch member includes a surface thereon which is adapted to pass close to said cam surface on said first means and which effectively prevents the movement of pronged members from said exit position of said first means.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said surface on said punch member is curved about a given axis to describe an arc having a constant radius, said surface of a length to block said exit position of said first means when said punch member is in the rest position and when it moves to its fully operative position.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means carried by said punch member includes a tongue member normally urged into engagement with a surface on said punch member, said tongue member positively displaced for accepting a pronged element when said punch member is in its rest position.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tongue member operatively engages one end of a rod member the other end of which engages a stationary member when said punch member iS in the rest position to bias said tongue member away from said flat surface.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first means includes a raceway for supporting said pronged members intermediate their prongs as said pronged members move from said supply to the exit position. 